Pulled through time II
by 252020
Summary: After being raised along side Tom Riddle at an orphanage in the 30s Harry is back in the time he belongs. With his 'brother' by his side, he enters his 4th year at Hogwarts, a year that will change Harry, and his picture of Tom, forever. Sequel is up!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter ONE. – Birthday

Fourteen. Starring up at the ceiling, ignoring the mountains of broken toys surrounding him, Harry's thoughts turned to Tom. They used to celebrate his birthday the 31st of October, the day he came to the orphanage; apparently they were exactly three months off. Not that his muggle family had told him, they had barely said a word to him apart from the reoccurring verbal slandering of his heritage and 'freakish' nature.

From the second Harry had met his 'family' he had known they would bring nothing good into his life. His aunt Petunia was a tall and thin with a long neck. She also seemed to have a permanent expression of disgust and hatred whenever she looked at him. Her husband was about as muggle as a person could get. He appeared to have no imagination at all from the way he acted and dressed.

His physical appearance was the complete opposite of his wife; he was a beefy man with little to no neck at all. In fact his built was very similar to his son, Dudley, except for the eyes. His son's watery blue eyes had been inherited from Petunia. Dudley was the same age as Harry, except he was at least three times his size, and had apparently been forbidden to say a word or acknowledge his newfound cousin in any way.

This, Harry had, concluded from the looks he had kept sneaking at him any chance he got. Succeeding in making Harry feel like a circus animal, during the drive from King's Cross station to their (for it was their, they had made it very clear that Harry was nothing but an unwanted guest) home in Little Whinging, Surry. The house, which he had not allowed to leave or even step outside of, since he arrived, was as boring as the family that resided within. This he had been able to concluded upon first sight.

Number four, Privet Drive could be described as large and square. It had a low garden wall in front with a garden behind filled with flowerbeds and a greenhouse. The house itself was built with bricks and had several chimneys. It was most likely built in the 1930's and was part of a subdivision of hundreds of similar houses.

Harry had to admit that the house was far more comfortable than the muggle orphanage he was used to, but than again, the muggle world was bound to have evolved at least some in the fifty years that had passed. He had found the new fashion both horrifying and entertaining at first, it was strange how much it had changed; the wizard fashion was almost the same as it had been when he first was introduced to the wizarding world all those years ago.

Not that he saw much of muggle fashion from the window in the small room he occupied, Privet Drive wasn't exactly what would be described as a busy street. To be honest he was surprised they allowed him to stay in a room at all and not force him to live in the basement or cupboard considering the minuscule portions of food they gave him, leaving him on the verge of starvation.

No, the only reason he knew it was his birthday was because of the letter Malfoy had sent him, wishing him a happy birthday, expressing his sympathy of Harry staying with muggles, though not without bragging about his own summer holiday. It was almost enough to make Harry to break the law of underage sorcery to hex him if it wasn't for the endnote of the letter.

He was inviting him to the Quidditch World Cup. Why remained a mystery to Harry, it wasn't like Harry even went to the house matches unless he had to, but any chance to get away from the filthy muggles, he would gladly take. And the chance to once again stay in Malfoy Manor wasn't one he would stand up either.

But what he really wanted was to know was why Tom wasn't writing to him. Not one letter had reached him from his… whatever he was. Was he Tom? Was he just a memory, created by Tom? He did after all posses a part of Tom's soul, but how big a piece was it? Did it mean he would never have his Tom back? That his Tom didn't exist anymore? He seemed the same, but at the same time he was different. For one, he never thought Tom would actually kill anyone, but he had, at least once, to create the Tom currently staying with Dumbledore. And that Tom had killed again to get a body. And Harry had let him…

Maybe his aunt was right, maybe he was a freak, maybe he should have shared the same fate as his parents. Shaking his head Harry turned his attention to the return letter he was writing, which Malfoy's raven waited patiently for him to finish.

Maybe he could borrow the bird and send Tom a letter. No, he would not think about Tom. Not past Tom, not grown-up Tom and certainly not memory Tom. Maybe Malfoy would serve as a good diversion, at least for a while.

Tbc…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two. – The World Cup.

The Malfoys had received some of the best seats in the arena having been invited by the Minister of Magic, personally, to sit in his booth. To say that Harry was less than impressed with the supposed minister would be the understatement of the year. Malfoy Sr. had quickly picked up on Harry's opinion, giving him an amused glance before turning back to the minister, playing him like a puppet-master, while his son focused his complete attention on the game.

While listening half-heartedly to the conversation between the two older wizards Harry tried to split the rest of his attention between Malfoy's chatter about the game and trying to ignore the hard lump in his heart as he saw the surviving Weasleys watching the game, not far from them.

"The Weasleys, again?" Malfoy suddenly surprised Harry by asking, causing him to look at him with slightly alarmed eyes. "They flock to you, accuse you, and you don't seem to be able to take your eyes of them. Maybe you did kill the she-Weasel after all." He drawled. "Not that I would mind, and they really should be grateful if you did, at least now they can afford to feed the rest."

"Draco." His father warned from behind them, sending his son a disapproving glance, sending the son's eyes to the ground while muttering an apology. "Malfoys do not mutter, speak up."

"Sorry, father." He spoke clearly, looking up at the older man. Not that Harry noticed or cared, instead his eyes snuck to the minister to see if he had heard Malfoy's careless statement, thankfully the man seemed far too engrossed in conversation with the wizard to his left to have heard them.

"My son tells me you are rather close with the transfer student." Malfoy Sr. drew Harry's attention.

"Yes, Sir. I hear you were partly responsible for bringing him to Hogwarts." Harry answered with equally casual tone.

"Really, you hear the strangest things." He told him with a false smile on his lips. "You seem to know each other well, you and Mr. Riddle."

"I have known him since I was a baby." Harry replied truthfully, hoping for some kind of reaction.

"So he is alive." The man whispered shocked and awed by the admission, though only the tiniest hint could be detected in his otherwise stony expression.

"Of course he is alive." Malfoy Jr said annoyed. "You saw him yourself a few weeks ago." His statement went ignored; as his father was suddenly half way out the booth, and one hand on Harry's back pushing him along, while Malfoy's mother held her son in place beside her.

Harry couldn't claim he minded being lead out from the loud booth, though it did seam a bit strange. Especially Malfoy's expression that was unusually honest and open. Showing his excitement, fear and… hunger?

"You gave the Wesley girl the diary." Harry said, now 100 sure, causing the older wizard to stop and face him.

"I did." He confessed absentmindedly, his mind completely focused on the questions to come. "Why did he leave us? How do I find him?"

"Find him?" The teen repeated confused. "Tom is with Dumbledore."

"Bo, the real one, the one who raised you." There was a hint of something similar to desperation in his voice as he spoke. "I need to be the first to find him."

"I haven't seen the real Tom in almost a year." Harry told him, fishing for leads noticing the man's unusual carelessness. "Not since Dumbledore brought me to Hogwarts."

"None of the others have found him then?"

Just as Harry was about to reply loud shouts from the arena suffocated anything else either of them might had to say, instead the older Malfoy grabbed Harry by the shoulder, as if to keep him safe from the already victory drunk Irish, rushing out from their booths.

Within minutes all three Malfoys, and Harry, were stepping into their magically enhanced tent. Mrs. Malfoy wrinkling her nose in disgust as she looked around.

"So dirty, I truly detest the outdoors, Lucius." She informed him, lifting one of the decorative cushions from the sofa before dropping again. "Disgusting, this is the first and last time I will ever set my foot in a tent."

Harry had to suppress a smile from forming at the familiar diva routine, Pandora had perfected it at the age of thirteen, but Mrs. Malfoy was damn close.

"I hate it when she is in this mood, father never should have forced her to come." Her son informed his classmate.

"At least you're not on the receiving end." Harry stated, practically seeing Pandora stomping her foot in front of him, expecting him to apologize.

"Lucius!" Derek Nott's grandchild called out, stepping into the tent unannounced. "A word, if you please."

Without a word to anyone, only a quick take on Harry, Mr. Malfoy left the tent and a growling wife behind only to return half an hour later.

"Well?" Mrs. Malfoy demanded to know upon seeing her husband return.

"Cancelled." He told her.

"Thank Merlin! I take it we can go home then? The game is, after all, over." It wasn't really a question, more of an order.

"By all means." He agreed, his voice completely neutral.

"But father!" The young heir protested, his tone dangerously close to be considered whiny. "I want to be here for the celebration tonight, we can't go home!"

"Son." His father warned. "Do not whine, I will not stand for it and neither will your mother. Plans change, to survive in life you must learn to deal with it."

"Mother." He tried, turning his pleading eyes on her.

"We are going home, and tomorrow we are going shopping for your new school supplies. Maybe a few new robes as well..." she added thoughtfully before offering a small, almost apologetic, smile. "And if you quit your complaining we will buy you something from the Quidditch store as well."

Tbc…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three. -

The remaining part of the summer Lucius had tried to, carefully, pry information, that Harry did not have, regarding Tom's whereabouts from the teen. Harry pretended not to notice, hoping the older wizard accidentally would let something slip that would tell Harry something about the present-day Tom but sadly the man was as cautious in his prying as Harry was with his answers. And as the first of September arrived Harry was just as much in the dark regarding Tom as he was when he left Hogwarts months before. The only thing he had gained under the summer was knowledge of the present-day muggle world and a broomstick that the Malfoy heir had convinced his mother to buy him as a belated birthday present.

To be honest Harry had never been on one before that summer. They didn't have flying lessons at Hogwarts when he was a first-year, hence Malfoy's determination to teach him and buy him a broom. Much to the young heir's pleasure Harry had proven to be a natural and on more then one occasion he had tried to convince him to tryout for the Slytherin team, but to no avail. He found no enjoyment in the game, though riding on the broom was exhilarating, he had never felt so free. The main reason he had never tried to ride before was Tom's dislike of heights, or rather his dislike of Harry near them. He had perfect confidence that he could always keep himself safe but trouble always seemed to find Harry regardless to what he was doing. So him on a broom was a suicide attempt, Tom had told him once.

It was first during the train ride back to school that thoughts of 'memory Tom' invaded his mind as more then a passing thought since he had left Privet Drive. Why hadn't he written? Where was he? Why wasn't he on the train? It was first when he entered the Great Hall that Harry's eyes found Tom, he was waiting at the Slytherin Table, his eyes immediately seeking Harry out as soon as he entered but Harry ignored him. Instead offering a sixth-year Slytherin his full attention as he started telling him about a new spell her father had invented. The spell was hardly anything amazing but he supposed she was correct in her assumption that it would be a success in the beauty industry. Apparently it could give cotton clothing the exact colour kthe caster had in mind and it would last for two hours before changing back to the original colour, though he did not think it was that impressive.

During the feast the Slytherins were surprised to see Harry and Tom seated apart, but more than a few decided this was a perfect time to win Harry's favour. Resulting in vicious defence of Harry when one of the first-years dared to disrespect to fourth-year, but after the sorting and the announcement regarding an interschool contest this part of their plan seemed forgotten. Instead all their attention went to discuss the upcoming event. Lucius Malfoy had, naturally, already told Harry and his son about the Triwizard tournament, so neither was surprised but Malfoy couldn't help but gloat and provide some additional information to their housemates. The other schools participating were Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmsatrang Institute. The later brought on lively discussing among the Slytherins, many providing information about the school and its students they received from relatives attending it. Harry remembered it being mentioned once in his first year.

It was first after the feast Harry was confronted by Tom, rather forcefully so. A few feet away from the Slytherin entrance Tom had grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him along without a word. He didn't stop until they were close to the room with Slytherin's painting.

They stood unmoving, facing the other without a word or expression. He didn't how long they had been standing like that when Harry sighed and tried to leave. But before he even taken a step he found Tom's hand grabbing hold of his arm once again. But still not saying a word.

"What is it?" Harry finally asked, annoyed. "Do you want something?"

"Why are you ignoring me?" He asked plainly, and perhaps slightly uncomfortably.

"Me?" Harry snapped. "I was stuck with three disgusting muggles and treated worse then a houself half the summer and not a word from you! Not one letter during the entire summer!"

"You know nothing." Tom hissed angrily, his grip tightening unintentionally. "Dumbledore put me with an old squib, which had me work in his muggle shop all summer. And the old man didn't own a single magical item, or even an owl and the town didn't have a single trace of magic. So tell me, how was I supposed to have written?"

"Muggles?" Harry said surprised, his voice friendly in contrast to before but mostly worried, making Tom calm down and even offer a small smile.

"Yeah…"

"Did they hurt you, did they?"

"I was just bored."

Entering the Slytherin dorm Tom sat down in the sofa to socialise with the others, offering fake smiles and praise while keeping Harry close to his side, not letting him slip out of either his sight or reach for the rest of the evening. Resigning himself to his fate for the time being Harry allowed his thoughts to wander off, as he leaned against the back of the sofa, allowing Tom to feel his physical presence.

To anyone else it would look like a Tom was simply relaxing, stretching his arms, but Harry knew better. He knew why Tom had placed his hands and arms as he had. He always wanted, maybe even needed, to touch Harry after receiving punishment or being alone for a longer period of time, to know someone was there for him. While Harry was capable of trusting and liking others Tom had never showed any sign of it. To him Harry was truly the only thing linking him to other humans, at least emotionally.

Tbc…

Finally! I hope you liked it. My muse is finally up and about again. Hopefully she won't get sleepy again anytime soon. But if you feel like helping her out by giving me a few ideas for upcoming chapters they are more than welcome. And if they fit well together with the thoughts I already have I might just use them! Now, of to review you go!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four – the Dream

The occupants of the fourth-year-Slytherin-dormitory were rudely awoken by a loud, pain filled, scream in around one o'clock that night. Moving towards the source of the noise Malfoy found Harry wriggling in pain, his hand pressing against his famous scar, nails drawing blood from the skin around it, his breading bother loud and heavy. Horrified he forcefully removed Harry's hand while ordering one of the other students to go and fetch Tom. The other teen was soaking in sweat but otherwise he seemed to slowly calm down and return to normal.

Just as Tom came rushing in to the room, Harry was fixing glasses handed to him on request only a second earlier, by the worried blonde. Practically shoving the said person out of his way Tom jerked Harry's face closer to him so that he would have perfect view of the scar.

"Is that thing hurting?" He whispered, wiping away blood with his sleeve.

"I'm fine; I was just having a really strange dream." Harry told him with a reassuring tone. "Nagini was in it, I… it was really strange. It all seemed so real too…"

"Nagini?" Malfoy repeated with wide eyes but shut up when seeing the murderous warning in Tom's eyes as he looked up at him over Harry's shoulder.

"She is our snake." Harry muttered, unaware of the effect the name seemed to have on a few the other teen. "I wonder if she is still alright."

"I'm sure she is." Tom assured him. "She is smarter than all the brats back at there. Are you alright now?"

"The scar stings a bit."

"It's really the scar?" Harry nodded, leaning his head against Tom's chest. "Stay with me?"

"From cradle to grave." Tom promised quietly before slipping into the bed with him, his eyes telling the others to go back to theirs and do the same.

Lying down Tom gently pressed his sleeve against Harry's forehead. Upon receiving Harry's questioning look he quietly told him it was to stop the bleeding. "Sleep. It's a few more hours until breakfast."

Long after Harry returned to the land of dreams, Tom remained awake by his side pondering the possibilities to why the scar his future-self had left Harry would play up so suddenly and violently.

Four hours, DDDDD of theories later and with on last look at the still irritated scar, Tom gently shook the boy beside him up awake.

"What's going on?" Harry asked with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before looking up at Tom's seated form. "It's still dark outside."

"We'll go eat before the others wake up, hurry."

Harry couldn't remember the last time he saw the Great Hall completely empty with the exception of the four fully set breakfast tables. The ceiling was still shifting colours though soon settled for a light blue colour as the sun fully rose outside.

"Tell me about the dream." Tom ordered as Harry began to fill his plate with the delicious food the houselves had provided. "Your scar has never bothered you before; maybe it's connected to the one who gave it to you."

"It isn't, Nagini was in it. The scar hurting and dream was just a coincident Voldemort is gone." Harry told him disinterested, missing the annoyance in Tom's eyes.

"Don't be naïve. You may have defeated him somehow but you don't become a dark lord without power and Dumbledore said he is still alive. He will want revenge."

"Do you think we know him?" Harry asked curiously, dismissing Tom's worry. "Considering the time he rose, it would be possible for him to have gone to Hogwarts when we did."

"He tried to kill you." Tom hissed angrily. "There must have been a reason why he went after a baby. I wouldn't kill anyone without a reason."

"My parents fought for the light, that's probably the reason. They were probably the real target." Harry told him. "But I will train to protect myself so he can't kill me if comes after me. More to the point, since when do you believe everything Dumbledore says?"

"Tell me about the dream." Tom insisted.

"I was in an old house on the top of a hill. I saw Nagini and a man, he really looked more like a rat than human being, on the floor in one of the rooms, but they didn't see me. There was a another man in there too, he was sitting in a black chair with his back turned to me so I couldn't see him. But he tortured the man with one of the unforgivables after telling him that his blunder hadn't ruined everything after all…"

Tom didn't get a chance to comment for just as Harry finished the current headmaster stepped into the hall in an, even for him, unusually colourful robe smiling jollily at the two teens.

"Why, Good morning Harry, Tom. What brings you two here so early?" He greeted. "I do believe this is the first time in years I wasn't the first to arrive in the morning."

"Professor." Both greeted as Tom grabbed Harry's arm. "We were just finished. Have a nice day, sir."

"You too, Tom." He answered before looking over at the other boy. "Harry, do try to come and see me sometime. You should know more about your family."

"I will do my best, sir." Harry assured him, though his voice sounded anything but.

"You really don't care about your family at all?" Tom asked when they were out of (magically enhanced) hearing reach from Dumbledore. He sounded uncertain and even frightened as he asked, though Harry doubted it was the question itself that had that effect on him.

"I used to think they didn't want me. That they were muggles and I did some accidental magic or that they were wizards who thought I was a squib so I stopped caring. All I knew was that they didn't want me. It wasn't like with your mum who died giving birth to you, who named you. I didn't know if Harry was really my name or just a name on a blanket they had found." As he said this he sounded as if he didn't care, as if he was discussing the weather. "I'm happy to know I'm not an unwanted child, but even if I was it wouldn't have mattered, it doesn't change anything. You wanted me, you accepted me, you protected me. What I know this; Tom is the only family I need." Even as he finished his tone hadn't changed, his eyes hadn't once turned to look at the other boy, but a small smile tucked Tom's lips.

Tbc…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five. – the 30th of October.

Ever since the dream had occurred Tom had obsessively been training Harry both in practical and theoretical magic, giving the younger boy practically no time for anything that wouldn't directly or indirectly prepare him for facing Voldemort in the future. First thing he had forced him to do was learn to use his telekinesis ability without the use of his hands, something Tom never thought too important in the past. The fact that he could use his magic to such extent was impressive enough, but now it was important for him to improve his ability to the same level Tom was at. Next Harry had been physically forced to study the tactics Voldemort had used during his last reign, the spell he was famous for and how to escape or block them. This part seemed something to be something Tom took a special interest in which Harry couldn't help but find amusing, it reminded him how Tom how obsessively followed everything written about Grinwald in the Prophet when he started to raise during their second year. Thirdly Tom started to teach him more advanced black magic than the basics they had studied in the past, much from books and artefacts found in Slytherin's chamber and so it continued.

As the weeks passed by the scar would occasionally string or bleed a little but other then that it was a rather peaceful time in Harry's opinion, it was almost like when he and Tom had went to Hogwarts in the past. Most of the students were no longer awed by the reappearance of Harry Potter – the boy who survived a killing curse, destroyed Voldermort and then disappeared. Tom's sudden transfer was no longer the latest gossip and the opening of the so called Chamber of secret seemed to be forgotten. The only ones that still glared at him was the Gryffindores who all blamed him for their sisters death even if Dumbledore had named him a hero who even killed a basilisk in an attempt to reach the girl. No, life was better then it had been in quite a while, even Tom's obsessive teaching mood was fun since it always reminded him how he and Tom used to study together in the past.

The only strange thing going on this year seemed to be the new Defence against the Dark Art professor, the former auror Alestor Moody, or Mad-eye Moody. Or rather Professor Snape's reaction to him. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the other wizard's job and to all had shown great dislike to all of the other ones holding the position the last few years, but more than anything their head of House seemed scared of him and tried to avoid him like the plague. The only times Harry saw them together was at meal times, during which Snape never looked Moody in his eyes, magical or otherwise. But Tom seemed to like him a great deal, especially after he had arranged to demonstrate the unforgivables in front of all classes above third year. Surprisingly enough Harry was the only one in the entire school who was able to defy the imperius curse on his first attempt, Tom had resisted and been tried a second time though, during which he too could stand against it. After that lesson Tom had often worked on mastering the three curses when while teaching or studying with Harry down in the chamber. But one of them he tried to only practice outside of Harry's view or preferably presence, the Avada Kedavra. This because Harry had had a rather strange reaction when Tom first tried the killing curse in front of him the first time. His scar started to bleed violently and intense pain had surged through his entire body. He had found it strange since the curse had no effect on him when Moody killed the spider, on which demonstrated, with it the said curse.

Before he knew it was the 30th of October and the Great Hall had been decorated over night. Enormous silk banner hung from the ceiling,each of them representing a Hogwarts house. One was green with a silver serpent, that particular banner hung over the Slytherin table. But the largest banner of them all could be found behind the teacher's table, it was decorated with the Hogwarts coat of arms, a lion, badger, eagle and serpent united around the large letter, H. Harry was sitting next to Tom, quietly discussing the effect of one of Voldemort's favourite curses when Malfoy sat down next to Harry declaring that he knew the reasons behind the sudden change in decorations, as if they hadn't figured it out by themselves. Feeling particularly annoyed with Malfoy's familiarity with Harry Tom snapped, telling him only a fool would need his father to figure something so simple out.

At first Malfoy looked surprised by Tom's sudden outburst. The older boy was generally very polite and likeable; often talking and laughing in the common room in contrast to Harry who preferred to be by himself or in small group and rarely spoke freely to anyone aside from Tom. But soon a glare appeared on his face as he looked at Tom.

"Really, then you know when and where the contestants will be arriving too?"

The Triwizard Tournament was about to start. They hadn't been informed of the date the possible contestants from the other schools would arrive, but now Malfoy had confirmed the suspicion that had come to them up on entering the hall earlier that morning. And just like the Malfoy heir had told them, at dusk a huge carriage pulled by flying horses landed on Hogwarts' lawn, carrying a group of Beauxbatons students and only a few minutes later a ghostly sailing ship rose from the depths of the lake just outside the school and glided to the shore. That was how the third and last schools', Durmstrang, delegation arrived.

Tbc…

Sorry it took so long to update, I went to Greece for a week on vacation but now I'm back so next update should be within a week. I know the story has been rather slow, but I that's because my muse for this story still hasn't woken completely yet but I promise something will happen next chapter, someone who will come between Harry and Tom abit will be introduced. Hope you liked the chapter anyway, I look forwards to reading your thoughts on it when you review!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six. – LeStrange

Shortly after the Hogwarts' students had welled into the Great Hall for the welcoming feast the other schools' students soon followed, divided into two groups, each representing one of the two schools. First in was Beauxbatons, without much fuss they choose to sit down by the Ravenclaw tables, the Durmstrang group seemed more divided and uncertain in their decision before they chose the Slytherin table. Malfoy seemed overjoyed by their decision, immediately trying to start a conversation with the group's most famous member, the world-renowned Bulgarian seeker, Victor Krum.

Harry didn't pay much attention to anyone in the party, mostly offering his attention only on Tom's requests. One however who had caught his eye was a girl from Beauxbatons. She was no extraordinary beauty, in contrast to the blonde vela-like-girl beside her. No, what had caught his attention was her uncanny resemblance to Druella Rosier. There were only a very small number of things that marked them apart; they had the same long wavy hair, only this girl's was black as ebony and her heavily-lidded eyes was the only other truly remarkable difference. No, there could be no doubt regarding the two's kinship. But who Dru had chosen to marry he couldn't even begin to phantom; to be honest he used to believe her to be lesbian in the past.

Once again focusing his attention on their differences he noted that all were strong indicators to hail from the Black bloodline, as there were only a small number of dark haired pure-blooded families at Hogwarts at that time of her schooling. After a few minutes he was surprised to see her look back at him with a burning glare. Now truly interested he inquired about the girl from Malfoy. After pointing her out the blond looked doubtful and reluctant before answering.

"She is my cousin, Isabelle Lestrange." Her name seemed to bring quite a few Slytherins' heads to turn their way as Harry repeated the name surprised. "Her mother is Bellatrix Black Lestrange, my aunt. But, seriously, you should keep your distance from her."

Harry didn't comment but it didn't take long before his eyes once again landed on the girl. Now finding her even more interesting, it would after all take a lot for a pureblood to warn about association with his blood relatives. Unless it was to protect his family name. No, she was interesting. Not once had anyone ever glared at him with the same degree of pure burning hatred as she had done before. A normal person would find this a good reason to stay away, but Harry never had been, and never would be, a normal person.

During the rest of the feast Harry had been lost in thought, resulting in Tom's annoyance and Harry's near complete ignorance in anything regarding the champion selection. He had not even caught on to why Isabelle had thrown a piece of paper into the newly placed goblet of fire the next morning,

"What is that thing?" Harry asked no one in particular as he saw a handful of students follow her lead. All either seventh-year-students or representatives from the other schools.

"Honestly, didn't you hear anything last night?" Pansy Perkinson asked teasingly, giving him her flirtiest smile. "They are placing their names in the goblet in hopes of being selected champions."

"Oh, he was too busy goggling miss LeS-" Without a word or movement Harry cut of Nott's air supply a few seconds, causing Tom to pat his shoulder in silent congratulation.

After a few minutes of silence Harry and Tom started a quiet conversation giving Nott a chance to ask what had just happened to him.

"Seems Harry can do magical telekinesis." Malfoy muttered more to himself then to answer Nott's question.

"What's that?"

"It means he can do pretty much everything he can do physically with nothing but his magic." Zambini explained.

"Huh?"

"Basically he was just suffocating you, using his magic to form invisible hands around your neck."

"I thought telekinesis meant moving things with your mind." Nott muttered.

"Are you 'a muggle or something? It usually starts with the witch or wizard forming invisible hands to bring stuff to them. Most never train it to go further." Upon seeing Harry's raised eyebrow she blushed and said. "My aunt can do it too, but not as advanced as you are."

"Harry." Tom's voice called Harry's attention immediately back to him. "I have to go to class."

"We'll meet up later." Harry agreed, otherwise ignoring Tom's rather unexpected left turn.

"Isn't he going the wrong way for transfiguration?" A dark blonde girl asked.

"Honestly, Tom and Potter seem to know the secret passages better then anyone else here." Perkinson told the other girl. "It's probably a shortcut, right Potter?"

"Don't you find it a bit strange that they know the castle better than us?" The girl insisted quietly while Harry acknowledged Perkinson's question with a small nod of his head.

After class Harry easily slunk away from his classmates, disappearing into the chamber of secrets where Tom was already waiting. In front of him was a small cage with a few mice in it.

"You should keep training the unforgivables, they seem to be Voldemort's favourites so you should learn them too." Tom stated calmly, without even greeting the younger teen.

"I have already mastered the Imperius curse." With a smirk he added, "I can even control you."

"That was once." Tom reminded with a glare before continuing. "Try the cruciatus."

"Any brute can inflict pain." Harry claimed, his facial expression clearly showing his disgust "No, to control someone's mind, that is something."

"You just say that because you can't perform it." Tom challenged.

"Really, you find Mr Thomas impressive then?" Harry asked, mentioning the old cook at the orphanage who often been assigned to beat the 'devil' out of Tom. After seeing the murderous glimmer in Tom's eyes Harry raised an eyebrow. "Still think it's an impressive curse?"

"Yes, it makes them suffer. The Imperius is too lenient. It makes you feel calm and happy."

"Not if you use it right."

"And how would you use that in a fight with Voldemort? He can probably throw it of easily. The cruciatus you can't throw of, it would be more useful." He insisted. "The only reason you think it's below you to inflict physical pain is because it has never been inflicted on you. You don't know what it does to you, how helpless you feel."

Tbc….

Honestly, I hardly got any reviews on my last chapter! Please, PLEASE, let me know what you think. If you don't want to do it for me, do it for yourselves, if I get reviews I feel more motivated to write! Now, you know what to do.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven. – The selection

Leaving the chamber Tom and Harry were late for the feast and champion selection. When sneaking in the Beauxbatons champion had already been chosen along with the Hogwarts champion, who apparently turned out to be a Hufflepuff student. After this sort recap Harry tried to find the LeStrange girl at the Ravenclaw table but having no luck on the matter Harry turned his attention to Dumbledore and the selection of the last champion. Victor Krum. Watching the flatfooted teen walking towards the champion chamber and Dumbledore prepare the end of his speech the old wizard's shock when the fire in the wooden goblet didn't go out did not go by unnoticed. And soon a small piece of paper jumped out from it and with surprising agility Dumbledore caught it with his left hand. Shortly there after a he spoke with a loud and thunderous voice:"HARRY POTTER"

Harry jerked in surprise as he heard his name being called out; Tom was furious and all eyes in the Great Hall were resting on him once again. Wiping his face clean of all emotion Harry calmly rose from the table, walked along the tables until he reached the small door he previously seen Krum disappear through and walked though it.

On the other side he was greeted by the sight of the other three contestants: Cedric Diggory, Isabelle LeStrange and Victor Krum. All three of them looked up in surprise as yet another, younger, student entered the room. Harry's expression however remained void of emotion, not a single feeling or thought could be read on his empty face. Seconds later all three headmasters and ministry personal came hurrying into the room. The headmaster and headmistress from the visiting schools were raving about the unfairness and generally suspicious event that had led to Harry's selection as a second Hogwarts champion. Dumbledore on the other hand was vivid for completely different reasons. Upon his entrance he had rushed up to Harry and shook him as he started interrogating him.

Knowing nothing about how his name had landed in the goblet, not to mention under the name of a different school it seemed completely hopeless to find a satisfactory explaination. Not to mention the others reluctance to believe his answers, but soon, with Professor Moody's intervention, they agreed to declare him an official triwizard champion. However Harry's rather blunt statement secede all sounds and movement in the small room.

"I won't compete."

"I'm afraid you must, Harry. As soon as your name entered that goblet you are forced by a magical binding contract to compete in case you were chosen."

"Unless it can be proven that either my legal guardians, which would be impossible seeing they are muggles, or myself who entered me the law clearly states that I can not be forced to participate in a lifelong or life threatening commitment, under any circumstances. I don't particularly care if the person responsible becomes a squib. I have no intention of risking my life for a game."

"The magic used in the creation of the goblet was placed long before that law was created." Snape stated, glaring at Harry, before turning to the headmaster. "Headmaster, I suggest the boy participates, until we know why someone so desperately wanted him as a contestant or can find a way around this unfortunate turn of events."

"As it is now, Harry, I am afraid Severus is correct. The magic used will put you, rather then the person responsible, at risk of losing his or her magic if you refuse to abide by the contract."

"There are always loopholes, which is why new binding charms always are being invented." Harry stated clearly, sounding every inch of a pureblooded aristocrat. "Kindly contact Pandora Malfoy on my behalf and request her assistance in this matter, as you have prohibited me from doing so myself."

"Why, you little…" Snape began to his before Dumbledore silenced him and sighed.

"I will do what I can. But at the moment you are the one at risk of losing your magic if you deny the contract, so for now I must ask you to participate and be patient."

Returning to the Slytherin common room Harry didn't say a word to either the well-wishers or those demanding to know how he done it, instead he walked straight up to his bed, not even offering as much as a glance to anyone. But as soon as he stepped into the fourth-year dorm he was faced with an unavoidable confrontation, Tom.

Neither said a word for a few seconds, they just looked at the other with blank expressions until Tom rose from his position on the bed and spoke with a completely emotionless tone of voice. "Did you place your name in the goblet?"

"I didn't."

"I thought so." Tom confessed, suddenly sounding very angry. "Will you still be a champion?"

"For now."

"I can't believe this!" Tom's sudden shout surprised him briefly before he remembered that Tom really did have an unruly temper, though he mostly hid it well from others. "Dumbledore is _**forcing**_ you into doing something that can lead to your _**death**_. He shouldn't be headmaster!"

"For once I don't think you can blame him, Tom." Harry told him with a plain tone, surprising them both with his defence of their former transfiguration professor. "I have never seen him so upset; the goblet is a very powerful magical object."

"In the last century alone five people have been gravely injured and two champions have lost their lives in the triwizard tournament! And now he is forcing you, who is both underage and unwilling, to compete in it. How can I possibly not blame him, Harry?!"

Tbc… I hope you liked it!


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight. – **__**Hogsmeade**_

The following days Harry noticed that the pointing and whispering was back to the same level it had been when he first came to this time. Only now it was not as quiet as it had then, now people bluntly told him he was a cheat, a false champion and an attention seeking prat. Only Slytherin House seemed to think otherwise, rather the opposite actually, as all loved the fact that they had their very own champion. Half-blood or not, Harry Potter or not, he was still a Slytherin. He was their representative.

Never the less he was looking forwards to the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend up far more than he had ever done before. It represented a chance to get away from it all, forget, even if it was only for a few hours. And luckily it came quicker than he had expected it to as Dumbledore wanted to give the visiting schools a chance to see the picturesque little town as soon as possible. And within days of the champion selection Harry found himself walking up down High Street, slowly coming further and further away from the shops and students, apparently heading towards a fantastic bookshop Tom wanted to go to. Neither said a word to the other as they walked in comfortable silence.

The shop was pretty much what Harry had come to expect from this Tom, dark, gloomy and filled with ancient looking books rather than the newly printed ones one would find at Flourish & Blotts. Harry didn't feel like staying, but this was more due to the horrid smell of the place than anything else. Strangely enough Tom didn't seem effected by it at all. Telling him he would wait outside Harry stepped out through the small goblin sized door. Allowing the autumn air fill his lungs he closed his eyes briefly basking in the sunlight. Then, before he had time to react, someone grabbed him and he felt a familiar tug in his belly.

As his eyes opened he looked like he was standing in a sea of untouchable images from all over the world and different times, all melting together, and the only thing solid seemed to be the hand holding on to him. It was pail, almost like white marble, and just as cold. It remained like that a few minutes, then, only for a second, everything went pitch black around him and the next thing he knew he woke up on a cold floor. It was almost as dark in there as in the bookshop, but the room was far more spacious. The hand that had held on to him was gone, as was the person. There were four huge windows covered by black curtains, as if to assure as little light filtering through as possible. The walls were covered by book shelves, all filed with more books than they could hold. He felt as if he had entered an old private muggle library as he observed his surroundings.

Suddenly he heard movement behind him, causing him to tense before he turned around. Someone was sitting there, in an old armchair. He was dressed like a muggle youth but something told Harry that he wasn't. There was something familiar about him, perhaps it was his confident posture or dark hair, but he didn't think so. No, it was the eyes, the set black pools staring back at him with knowledge and intensity that no one his age could possibly possess. He had seen them somewhere before, he just couldn't phantom when or where.

"I have been waiting for you, Harry." The youth told him with a smile, slowly standing up and moving towards him. But for some unknown reason Harry couldn't move, he didn't want to, and soon a hand was caressing to his face with a genteelness he rarely found himself receiving. "For more than 50 years, I have been waiting."

"Why? Who are you?" Harry asked softly, feeling strangely at ease. "How do I know you?"

"I'm known by many names, less commonly Lancelot DuLac, we meet when you were a child. When I chose you. I didn't think you would remember."

"When you chose me for what? Why did you take me?" Harry asked with an, in his case, unusual innocence and honesty.

"That is not for you to know, yet." He answered. "For now you just need to adapt."

"I have to go back!" Harry told him, suddenly gaining the strength to jump up on his feet. "Tom will worry; he will think I have left him again."

"Your loyalty will put you in many difficult situations in the future." Lancelot told him seriously. "Still I have to admire it. But you still need to rest." And with that everything went dark.

Next time Harry opened his eyes he was lying in a large bed, once again completely shielded from the sunlight outside. Standing up he walked to the window, it was covered with a faint layer of frost, and was shocked to see the old orphanage across the street. It looked the same; only the sign had been replaced by a single number, 17. The street number. It felt strange seeing it again, it wasn't home but it was something. It was special to him, that was there he had meet Tom, where miss Martha always waited for him. Suddenly he felt a now familiar cold hand on his shoulder; he hadn't even noticed the man's presence before. For some reason the hand made him feel reassured, like he was safe as long as it was touching him.

"Good luck." Harry looked up at the man as he heard this, but before he even got a chance to see him Harry found himself standing in the middle of a large arena with only his wand and a dragon as company.

Turning around he saw Cedric Diggory standing in a tent opening holding a golden egg in his hands, pointing at an identical egg behind the dragon. Still confused Harry nearly didn't see the flames coming from the dragon's mouth and towards him. Diving headfirst behind a large rock it just barely missed him. "What in Merlin's name is going on?" He asked himself. The first task wasn't supposed to be held for another two weeks. What was he supposed to do? He didn't know for how long he had hid behind the stone before he remembered what Tom had told him when they had seen a dragon at Gringotts a few years ago. Their weaknesses were their eyes and the scales on their stomach.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself Harry jumped out from his hiding place and shot the only curse he knew that could possibly blind the dragon's eyes, one of Tom's failed inventions. They had only ever used it on an engorged rat with various protection charms, it had made its eyes explode, but it was the only one he could think of and an intense ray of red light shoot out of his wand. Once again throwing himself behind the rock he waited for a roar or cry of pain from the dragon but it never came, it had blinked. Burning himself on the now glowing red rock Harry jumped back and tried the spell again. In his hurry he hadn't noticed the wound on his arm or the blood touching his wand as he voiced the curse. This time he a deafening cry was heard from the dragon and Harry rushed towards the egg. He got it!

_**Tbc…**_

_Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I have been completely stuck on this one. __Didn't have a clue about what to write, the only thing I know how I wanted was the ending. Then yesterday Lancelot popped up in my mind, hopefully you will like what he brings into the story, what he had done to Harry, as you and Harry start noticing strange things... Now, please review and if you have time, take a look at my other stories. I just started a couple of new once last week, I think it was._


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine. – the curse**_

Angrier than Harry could remember being in a long, long time he sat down in the champions tent, waiting for school nurse to tend to his, surprisingly light, burns. He could have sworn they were worse when he first got them, but said nothing of it. What angered him was the way he had been forced into the first task. Shoving him into an arena with a fire breathing dragon, and no clear instructions, should be classified as attempted murder! Tom hadn't said anything yet, but hadn't left his side since he stepped out from the arena.

They didn't have to wait long before the drape was pulled aside. But it wasn't the nurse standing on the other side, it was Dumbledore. His usually cheerful expression was completely blank with the exception of a faint hint of worry in his eyes. He, however, didn't get the chance to say a word before the remaining parts of the judges came rushing after him.

"You can't be serious, Albus!" The headmistress of Beauxbatons practically yelled; her French accent now stronger than Harry had ever heard it before. "The boy should be expelled, if not sent to prison!"

"My dear madame Maxime. I'm sure Mr Potter simply panicked and used the strongest curse he head of when he found himself in front of a dragon, we should simply be grateful he had his wand to defend himself." The third headmaster, Karkaroff, was surprisingly quiet watching Harry with a mix of fear and fury.

"Panicked? A boy his age should not even know such spells! No one should! Its is also very advanced, without years of practice in you-know-what he wouldn't be able to perform it successfully!"

"What's wrong with my spell?" Harry asked, slightly confused, giving Tom a quick glance as he did so.

"What's wrong?" Maxime yelled out in disbelief. "It's dark! After the unforgivables it was You-"

"MADAME!" Dumbledore's voice was so scarp, so cutting that even the headmistress looked confused. "That is enough. Harry please tell me, where have you been?"

"One minute I was outside the shop, the next in a library, next in a bed and after that I was facing a dragon!" His cold and biting, he didn't even attempt to hide it.

"I do apologize for that Harry; it is simply how the goblet's contract works. It would transport you here in time for the first task no matter where you were when it was your turn. However you must promise me never to use that curse again. The man who killed your parents had a particular liking for it. Using it will send you to Azkaban. We were lucky that very few people know or recognize the spell you used."

As soon as Dumbledore left Harry turned to Tom "You told someone about the curse?" Tom however ignored him and instead threw his arms around Harry, hugging him so closely that Harry soon had trouble breathing.

"I thought you'd left me again. If something had happened to you I would kill every single person walking on this earth until I found the one responsible." Tom whispered softly, refusing to ease his hold, but the cold determination and the honestly of his words rang clear in Harry's ears.

He didn't know long he was held before Tom pulled away from him, far enough to look straight into Harry's eyes, as if to enhance the weight on whatever he was about to tell him. "You must promise me never to use any of the spells I, we, came up with in public. Most would be considered dark magic-"

"Don't you think I know that?" Harry asked angrily, tearing himself free from Tom. "I panicked! One minute I was standing with, Lancelot, and felt completely safe and the next a dragon was trying to fry me! I'm not an idiot, Tom!"

"I know." He agreed, with a soothing tone, before once again reaching out for the younger teen. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I doubt anyone would believe me if I told them Tom Riddle apologized to me." Harry said, with a teasing smile, causing Tom to give a genuine smile.

"Don't ever leave me again." It wasn't an emotional plea; to be honest it sounded more as a demand than anything else. "Promise you will always return to me. No matter what you will always return to me."

"I promise." Tom smiled.

"We will do great things together. We will change the world."

"Tom." Harry said tiredly, not having the energy to listen to Tom's dreams about their future. About his wish to change the world, to make sure no single wizard would suffer at the hands of muggles, like they had. "There are a lot of wizards and witches who grow up among muggles and love them…" But Tom too lacked interest in Harry's skepticism, he was sure he would understand one day, and even if he didn't he would never leave him. Harry always kept his promises. As his interest wandered so did his eyes and soon they fell on his burn and widened considerably.

"Harry, what did that guy do to you?" He asked sounding both worried and awed.

"Who?" Harry asked confused by the sudden change of subject

"Lancelot."

"Nothing, I think." He replied, still confused. "Why?"

"Your burn is completely healed."

"Nothing bad then at least." Harry muttered after staring at his arm a few seconds in silence.

Harry hadn't even walked teen feet from the champions' tent when a woman in who appeared to be in her early forties ambushed him. Harry didn't know how to react, he didn't recognize her but everyone else seemed to and they were staring with wide eyes. But when she finally let go and his eyes meet hers his grew just as wide as everyone else's', if not wider.

She wore a small smile on her lips, but it was her silver eyes that displayed the most feeling.

"'Dora?" He asked, as if still not understanding who was standing in front of him.

A half smirk that hadn't adored Pandora Malfoy's lips in half a century crept up, "Don't you recognize your guardian, Harry?" He didn't reply, instead he simply waited for her to explain. "In your absence I successfully had your aunt and uncle proved unsuitable. You are now officially mine."

"Yours?" Tom's shrilling cold voice interrupted from behind Harry before Harry himself could say anything.

"Riddle." She replied coldly, sounding every bit the Malfoy she was. "Always a pleasure."

"It's been too long, Ms Malfoy." He replied, not even trying to apply his usual charm.

"Harry, I want you to know that I am doing everything I can to get you released from the contract." She said, ignoring the other boy. "You will not be placed in any more danger."

"At least you are good for something." Tom told her with a hint of arrogance.

"Tom, Pandora." Harry interrupted, unable to stop a smile from showing up on his lips. It was like being back at Hogwarts in the '40's. "Stop it." Neither made any indication of hearing him but with a last glare they turned away from each other. "Now, 'Dora, thank you. I don't particularly like being used as a pawn. Tom, would you please go on ahead. I would like to speak with Pandora a few minutes." Seeing that Tom was about to object he added. "Without you two being down each other's throats. I just want to catch up."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten. – Possessive**_

The weeks that followed the first task were neither simple nor calm. The mystery surrounding his absence had made him talk of the school, and that along with his position as champion also gave him the front page of the daily prophet, which in turned had increased the number of interview requests he had been receiving lately. This was something he found very annoying and Tom amusing. As if this was not enough Harry had also been the main target of the girls in their hunt for a Yale date. Apparently he wouldn't be going to the annual Malfoy ball this year, instead his presence at the Hogwarts ball was mandatory. Seeing as a teenage Pandora Malfoy wasn't an option he wasn't sure whom he would be taking, not that it matter much to him. The reason behind his distress was the fear that whatever girl he would take would read too much into it. He had no interest in the fairer sex, or the other for that matter. No, love was not something he either longed or wished for.

Unintentionally Harry eyes wandered to the tournament's only female contestant. She was currently in third place, just two points after Harry himself. She was sitting in her usual spot by the Racenclaw and to all appearances and purposes she was completely ignoring the chatter around her. Watching her he couldn't help but find her intriguing. Without a single warning sign Harry stood up and walked over to the girl and as he reached her she looked up at him with lazy uninterested eyes. "Yes?"

"Ms LeStrange, would you do me the honour of being my date for the Yule Ball" perhaps it was the fact that he had grown accustomed to the slippery Slytherins that he added "this year?"

He saw a flash of surprise in her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it has appeared, then she nodded her acceptance. "I would be love to." She agreed oraly, but offering neither a smile nor a happy note in her voice as she did so.

But while she seemed uninterested in who was taking her Tom and Malfoy were not. When Harry returned to the Slytherin table to finish his breakfast the two of them was staring at him in shock.

"You are taking his cousin? The daughter of Death Eaters?" Tom asked angrily though he wasn't sure why he was angry. "The prophet will have a fieldtrip with this!"

This caused quite a stir among the surrounding students, both due to his word and the uncharacteristic outburst from the smart and calm fifth year.

"Then who would you like me to take? You? I'm sure you would look lovely in a dress." Harry aske raising an eyebrow. 

Tom glared at him a few seconds before standing up "Do what you want." And with those paring words he left causing Harry to sigh before looking over at Malfoy who was still looking at him.

"You aren't going to follow him?"

"No, I don't have the energy to deal with his insecurities right now. Tom is just too possessive... You of all people should know how he is by now." Harry dismissed.

"True." Parkinson agreed quietly, sounding almost fearful. "If Potter hadn't stopped him…"

"He was bloody mad." Malfoy muttered, "I seriously thought he was going to kill me."

"Tom isn't a k-" Harry began before cutting himself short. "He is just over protective, always has been."

"He wasn't that bad before." Zabini stated. "You should have seen him when you disappeared, Potter."

The only response he got was a glare before Harry too stormed out from the hall.

Harry has only walked a few feet from the hall when he saw and heard Tom.

"Took you long enough."

"I only came to tell you have to fix your image, they are all scared of you since you went insane on Malfoy last week."

"Fear is a good motivator. No one will ever take you from me again."

"It was a simple hex, and I countered it. Get a grip, and fix this. I don't particularly enjoy explaining your actions to others."

"Then don't. We don't need them."

"You mean you have spent half a year playing model student for nothing?" Harry asked, obviously don't believing him before shaking his head dismissingly. "You know what, I don't care anymore."

"Good, you should be trying to figure that egg out, just don't do it close to me I can't stand that shrieking sound again, whatever it is."

"It's meremish." Harry told him as if it was common knowledge. "Don't you recognize it?"

"How could I?" Tom asked annoyed, "How can you?"

"We heard it in Scandinavia, remember?"

"What are you talking about? We haven't even left the British Islands, Harry."

"You fell into a lake close to the Russian boarder, you would have frozen to death if you weren't already a vamp-" Harry stopped and looked at Tom with an unreadable expression before walking away without as much as a word to Tom in explaination.

"Harry!" He called out, trying to stop him but he was ignored.

Tbc…


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven.**_

Harry had been avoiding Tom ever since their conversation outside the Great Hall. The Slytherin students were all shocked when Harry went as far as to even publicly ignoring Tom when he tried to get his attention, but Harry didn't have time to care. He had both the tournament and the unexplainable things happening to him to worry about. After he had recognised the sound the egg made Harry had quickly snuck into the prefect bathroom Tom had shown him in the end of the previous school year to be able to understand their words, it would appear something precious to him would be taken from and he would have an hour to find it. He supposed it would be problematic to breath under water for an hour though and had rather desperately trying to find a way, while at the same time searching through the library for explanations to what was happening to him. But so far he was making little progress in both areas. Concerning the later he had briefly considered sneaking of to muggle London and try to find Lancelot and have him explain but had written the idea off as stupid quickly. After all he didn't know what the man, or whatever he was, had done or would do to him if he did.

Then one evening on his way back from the library Harry found himself ambushed by Tom somewhere between the staircase on the second floor and the dungeon entrance.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Harry demanded angrily when Tom removed the spells he had placed on him to stop him from fighting when he took him to the room of requirements. It looked the same as it had when the two had had their talk after the events in the chamber of secrets the year before.

"Why are you avoiding me? No, not avoiding. Ignoring me! This is the second time just this term." He yelled. "You never ignore me, no matter what I do. That's how it's supposed to be! How can one, ONE, year change you this much!"

"It's not just me Tom" He replied angrily. "You have changed too. You have always been protecting me, but this is a whole new level. You are obsessive, Malfoy sent a tickling charm after me because he said I needed to laugh and you nearly threw the cruciatus on him! If I hadn't stopped you, I don't know what would have happened. Then your possessiveness blows up again just because I ask LeStrange to a dance I don't even want to go to."

"Then don't go! We can do something else, they can't force us to stay over the winter holidays."

"I'm not pissing of Dumbledore unnecessarily. You have killed people Tom, and he knows it. And with the way you are acting Dumbledore is bound to be extra observant and cautious regarding you, us. Get your act together. I don't need your protection from a little fly like Draco Malfoy. I can take care of myself."

Tom's face became almost threatening after that. "You will always need me Harry. Always. I will always be the most important person in your life, if someone even comes close to threaten that I swear to Merlin that I will kill that person. You belong to me, Harry. Never forget that." And with those paring words Tom left a stunned Harry behind.

Tom had said similar things in the past but back then Harry had never actually believed he was capable of killing anyone, now he knew better and for the first time he was a bit scared of him. He didn't know why he had been so upset with Tom's reaction to his chosen date, he did not particularly like her. He had never even spoken to her before, it was her obvious dislike of Harry that had intrigued him when he first seen her at Halloween and the fact that her parents were openly declared Death Eaters while Malfoy's had escaped the label. Considering that he suddenly wondered why she had agreed so readily when he asked. Perhaps she thought it would help her public image to go with the very boy who had caused her parents' master's downfall to the ball.

Shaking his head he told himself that while he never said or showed it like Tom did he was almost equally possessive of him as he was of Harry. The only difference was that while Harry made other friends, Tom didn't, hence Harry never had to worry or feel jealousy towards anyone. He had never had to doubt the fact that he was the most important being in Tom's life.

Tired Harry made his way to the sofa and fell asleep, it was already midnight when he woke up and decided to make his way back to the Slytherin Dormitory. Quietly moving along the dark walls in the dungeon Harry caught sight of professor Moody sneaking out from Snape's private potion storage, it was located between his office and the entrance to the Slytherin common room, and while Harry couldn't see what the man had taken he seemed quite pleased with himself as he took a gulp from the little silver bottle he seemed to constantly be drinking from. His magical eye suddenly moved towards Harry's direction and for a second he thought he had been caught. It was with both relieved and curious eyes Harry watched him leave.

Well inside he was not surprised to find Tom sitting alone by the fire in the common room, for all appearances and purposes waiting for Harry's return. Their previous argument seemed forgotten as Tom motioned for him to come to him. Neither apologized but then again, they almost never did. Instead Harry soon found the older teen's head in his lap and they both stared into the fire together. After a few minutes of silence Tom spoke, taking Harry by surprise with his question.

"Has your scar been hurting?"

"Not since that night." He replied after a few seconds, Harry hadn't even had any time to think about that and had truthfully completely forgotten it until that second.

"Good," Seemed relieved "And the second task?"

"I have to figure out a way to breath under water for an hour. So far the closest I have been to a solution is to go and take muggle diving lessons." He said sarcastically.

"Diving?"

"I heard the Dursleys talk about it this summer. Aunt Petunia wanted to learn when they go to Thailand and if she can do it... well it can't be too hard."

Tbc… Please go and read my new story HARRY POTTER - THE VAMPIRE PRINCE too but don't forget to review before you go! When I talked about abandoning this fic I got tons of reviews telling me not to but now I hardly get any :-(. Please, give me some feedback!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

_**Chapter Twelve.**_

On the day of the second task Tom was nowhere to be found, not that it was an uncommon occurrence lately. Ever since Harry and Isabelle became something of a nonofficial couple, after the Yule Ball, Tom had kept his distance whenever she was around. Harry had however thought that the second task would be an expectation considering how worried he had been and how angry he was at Pandora for not finding a way out of the contract. He had thought it would only be natural for Tom to be there, considering these circumstances but apparently he was wrong. At least that was what he thought until Isabelle had come rushing up to him telling him that her baby cousin, the person, he had learned, she valued more than any other living being, had run off from her parents that very morning and was now roaming Hogwarts on his own.

"Take a deep breath." Harry told her calmly. "It's a part of the task, Noel is fine. He is the one you have to save. Tom is gone too. You need to focus."

She wrinkled her nose at the name, her and Tom's dislike for each other seemed mutual, but soon smiled up at him and kissed his cheek before teasingly asking. "Merci, Who would have guessed someone who was hit on the head with a killing cure as a child to actually be smart?"

Just then the contestants were called forth, the second task was about to begin.

Not listening to anyone or anything else Harry began to concentrate on the transformation, carefully visualising it's effects and soon Harry's lower body transformed into a ten-foot long sea serpent tail attached to a human torso. He hadn't planned on using the spell but seeing as Tom would enjoy Harry coming to his "rescue" using one of Salazar Slytherin's own spells he changed his mind and at the last possible moment and threw away the seaweed Pandora had provided him with and with some effort threw himself into the water.

With fifteen minutes to spare Harry found Tom out cold and tied to a rope next to three other people, one of them being Isabelle's beloved cousin. Somewhat disappointed that Tom wouldn't get to see the transformation he ignored the meremen and quickly undid the rope and swam to the surface, holding onto Tom's cold hard hand.

Loud cheers greeted them, the loudest coming from the Slytherins' stand to Harry's right, when they broke the water surface. The professors immediately helped with Tom and while they were removing the charm placed on him Harry had to use all his strength as he heaved his body out of the water, his long snake like lower body still in the water, his tongue still that of a snake as he hissed the counter curse quietly, too exhausted to do it nonverbally as he had done in the beginning of the task. His lover body regained their human form he felt Tom's arm enfold him and his soft hissing of approval in his ear.

"Fantastic, I didn't think you would have time to learn it."

"I tried it last night." Harry told him, normally, unconsciously leaning back, pressing against Tom's soaking wet form. "In the chamber, just after you left."

"How long did it take?"

"Parseltongue magic comes easily to me."

"I admit that I am jealous over that fact." Tom muttered in his ear, just as Isabelle's pale face broke the calm surface of the lake, bringing Noel with her, followed by the second Hogwarts champion and on forth place came Krum, all within a few minutes of each other.

After a while Harry broke from Tom to help Isabelle on her feet when she finished drying herself and Noel with the towels provided, much to Tom's anger. Anger that only grew as he saw the gloating smirk she sent him over Harry's shoulder as she gave him a congratulatory hug. Letting him go she once again placed a kiss on his cheek, one that was returned so naturally it almost looked like a reflex.

"You did well too. Congratulations to second place." Tom could hear Harry tell her, hating the genuine smile that was on his lips.

Before Harry had the chance to leave the arena Dumbledore was standing in front of him looking down at the younger man with a troubled expression.

"Would you come with me to my office, Harry."

He felt like informing him that they were nowhere near first name bases but kept his mouth shut and simply nodded, following the aged wizard to his office.

"Harry, what spell did you use?"

"It was a transfiguration spell, sir." Harry answered calmly, trying to look puzzled.

"Where did you learn it?"

"With all due respect, I don't see how that concerns you, professor."

"Harry it is very dangerous to dabble with Dark Magic and I must ask you to stop, it is for your own good, my boy."

"Sir, transfiguration can never be classified as dark magic." Harry stated, feeling more than a little annoyed. "It was you yourself that told me that. Krum did a similar transfiguration, so if there is any problem with my choice of spell I don't see why he isn't here as well."

"There is a big difference," He insisted, sounding almost desperate. "The human body can not take the form of any magical creature, we do not have magic strong enough to sustain it unless we undergo many dark sacrificial rituals. What I want to know is which you preformed and how you got a hold of them." Harry was too shocked to say anything, which Dumbledore seemed to take as a confession and continued. "I take it Tom was involved?"

"I have never done any kind of ritual to enhance my magical reserves. Nor do you have the right to accuse me or Tom of doing so." Harry informed him coldly just as the door to the office flung open and a well-known blonde stepped into the room, glaring at the headmaster.

"Ms Malfoy." Dumbledore greeted, not looking the least surprised by her arrival. "What can I do for you?"

"Do you have any proof to support your accusation?" Pandora asked coldly, while using her arms to pull Harry towards her. "My nephew also tells me you have been attempting to take Harry away from me again as well. If this does not stop I will have to withdraw him from this school. I guarantee that I am by far more qualified in most subjects here than any of the professors you have at this school. The only reason he is still here is because I know he enjoys Hogwarts and I do not wish to take that way from him." She paused. "Well, do you have any proof?" She asked when the man didn't say anything.

Giving the widow a little more detailed explanation than the one he had given Harry she actually huffed, as if insulted. "Are you saying that I, a world-renowned potion mistress, would not be able to recognise a Japanese kelpie when I see one? " She asked, naming the creature he had accused Harry to transform into. "That was a normal Scottish kelpie, small enough to be a baby too, and they don't have a single drop of magical blood in them!"

"If these absurd accusations and your meddling does not stop you give me no choice, Harry will leave this school."

"I apologize, I am simply trying to do what is best for Mr Potter."

Tbc… I hope you enjoyed it, now it won't be long before the third task! I'm looking forward to writing it :-D


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

_**Chapter Thirteen.**_

On the morning of the last task Harry yet again found himself in the centre of everything, not only in the school but also in the press. All other contestants, and even the contest itself, seemed forgotten as he saw the large image of himself on the front-page of the Daily Prophet, with following article attached to it.

'_HARRY POTTER DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS_'

_The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter_'_s strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School. _

_Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him)… _

_It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungo_'_s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, and that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion. _

"_He might even be pretending,_" _said one specialist. _"_This could be a plea for attention._"

_The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public. (GoF, page 393)_

More than a little annoyed Harry folded the paper and turned his attention to the food in front of him, while Tom picked it up and began to read the article.

"How did she know your scar hurts?" Tom demanded when he finished reading, his eyes questioning as he looked at Harry, but murderous as he allowed his eyes to wander over the Slytherin fourth-years.

"Who cares?" Harry dismissed. "At least she is writing partly the truth this time. The scar had been hurting."

"You said-" Tom began before Harry interrupted him.

"More liked stings, not like that night."  
"You-"

"Sorry to interrupt." A girl stopped him, but her eyes were on Harry and a flirtatious smile either had ever seen on her. "We have our History of Magic exam in ten minutes. We better hurry."

Looking down at his watch Harry saw that she was right and quickly said good-bye to Tom before rushing to class with the unidentified Ravenclaw girl by his side. While he didn't have to take the exams, thanks to his champion-status, his presence in class and during the exams was still required unless he had been told otherwise. So instead of doing the actual exams he had been sitting in the back of every exam class looking up fresh hexes for the third task This exam would be no different. He was almost out the hall before McGonagall stopped him to inform him of some official tournament business he would have to attend, immediately.

"But the task's not until tonight!" said Harry with a hint of desperation, afraid that he has mistaken the time.

"I'm aware of that, Potter." she said. "The champion's families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them." She moved away. Harry nearly gasped after her. They didn't really believe that the Dursleys would turn up, did they? Harry stayed where he was. He really didn't want to go into the chamber he had seen the other champions go. He had no family - no family who would turn up to see him risk his life, anyway. Not apart from Tom. But just as he was getting up, thinking that he might as well go up to the library and do a spot more hex research, the door of the side chamber opened, and the first Hogwarts champion, Diggory, stuck his head out.

"Potter, come on. She is waiting for you!" A smile broke out on his lips, had Dumbledore finally accepted that he had lost and accepted Pandora as his guardian, his family? While Pandora was his official guardian, Harry had feared, even believed, that Dumbledore still would keep Harry to his word and still force him onto the Dursleys.

He walked across the Hall and opened the door into the chamber. Diggory and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. He had inherited his fathers hooked nose. On the other side of the room, Isabelle was jabbering away in French to her aunt. Isabelle's cousin was holding her mother's hand. She waved at Harry, who reurned it with a nodd. Then he saw Pandora standing in front of the fireplace, regarding him with what most would regard as a indiffrent expression. But Harry knew better, her eyes were smiling.

As the day wore on Harry almost forgot the task as he and Pandora walked around the grounds, remembering their time as together as students. He was almost surprised when Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, ordering everyone to go down to the quidditch pitch for the final task. It was almost unrecognizable now though. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?" And soon the task began and Harry shot into the maze. He continued to run until the only thing he could hear was complete silence. Then suddenly that age old feeling that he was being watched crept over him. It unnerved him, but not as much as the lack of obstacles. Then, as he turned a corner, he saw…a Tom' still form on the ground. His face was hidden but he knew it was Tom. With out a second thought he rushed towards him only to stop less then a foot away as reason caught up with him and he cursed his own stupidity. "_Riddikulus!_" There was a loud crack, and the shape-shifter exploded in a wisp of smoke. Annoyed with himself he hurried away.

Left…right…left again…Twice he found himself facing dead ends. He did the Four-Point Spell again and found that he was going too far east. He turned back, took a right turn, and saw a sphinx. It had the body of an over-large lion: great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Harry as he approached. He raised his wand, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice.

"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me."

"What's the riddle?" He asked, knowing this was his fastest option.

The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited:

"First think of the person who lives in disguise,

Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.

Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,

The middle of middle or end of the end?

And finally give me the sound often heard

During the search for a hard-to-find word.

Now string them together, and answer me this,

Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"

"A spider!" he replied both quickly and calmly, after a few minutes of silence, seeing no reason to explain his guess or give her access to the inner workings of his mind.

The sphinx smiled broadly. Then she got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for him to pass.

Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead. "_Point Me!_" he whispered again to his wand, and it spun around and pointed him to the right-hand one. He dashed up this one and saw light ahead. The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Harry had reached it first. The last thing Harry saw before he grabbed the cup was Cedric Diggory coming into the clearing, running towards him, or rather towards the cup. Then he felt a sudden jerk somewhere behind his navel. His feet had left the ground. He could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup; it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling colour. It was a portkey.

Tbc..

I'm back! Sorry it has taken so long for me to update. I have had writersblock, but after I came home from China trip I have been coming up with lots of ideas. Please give me some feedback!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

_**Chapter Fourteen.**_

When his surroundings once again became normal and his feet landed on the ground he knew that he had left the Hogwarts grounds completely; he had obviously traveled miles - perhaps hundreds of miles - for even the mountains surrounding the castle were gone. Instead he was standing in a dark and overgrown graveyard; the black outline of a small church was visible beyond a large yew tree to his right. A hill rose above him to his left. Harry could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside. He had seen it before, in his dream, Nagini had showed it to him.

Suddenly he felt someone coming, someone was watching him. Drawing his wand, he waited. Squinting tensely through the darkness, he saw a figure drawing nearer, walking steadily toward him between the graves. Harry couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, he could tell that it was carrying something. Whoever it was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face. And - several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time - Harry saw that the thing in the person's arms looked like a baby…or was it merely a bundle of robes?

And then, without warning, Harry's scar exploded with pain. It was agony such as he had never felt in all his life; his wand slipped from his fingers as he put his hands over his face; his knees buckled; he was on the ground and he could see nothing at all; his head was about to split open. A pain worse then the cruciatus curse seemed to engulf him. Then he felt himself being pulled to his feet.

The short man in the cloak had put down his bundle, lit his wand, and was dragging Harry toward the marble headstone. Harry saw the name upon it flickering in the wandlight before he was forced around and slammed against it.

_TOM RIDDLE _

The cloaked man was now conjuring tight cords around Harry, tying him from neck to ankles to the headstone. Harry could hear shallow, fast breathing from the depths of the hood; he would have struggled, but his mind didn't seem capable of comprehend anything but the name on the tomb. Tom was dead, was that why Dumbledore hadn't told him anything; didn't he think Harry would be able to face a life without his brother? It took him a few minutes before he was able to focus his mind on the current situation and was able to recognize the man. It was the rat-like-man from his dream that was tying him up. The one Nagini had seen. NAGINI! His mind suddenly screamed. Was she there? He tried to took fro her but bundle of robes the man had placed on the ground suddenly moved, drawing his attention.

Something inside it made it move, as of it was trying to free itself. The man was now busying himself at the bottom of the cauldron with a wand. Suddenly there were crackling flames beneath it. The liquid in the cauldron seemed to heat very fast. The surface began not only to bubble, but to send out fiery sparks, as though it were on fire. Steam was thickening, blurring the outline of Wormtail tending the fire. The movements beneath the robes became more agitated. And Harry heard the high, cold voice again.

"Hurry!"

The whole surface of the water was alight with sparks now. It might have been encrusted with diamonds.

"It is ready Master."

"Now…" said the cold voice. Just as a large snake slithered away into the darkness. Harry recognized it immediately.

"NAGINI!" Harry hissed, even his hiss sounded shocked as it came out and caused the bundle to stop it movements and the snake to look up at him. "Nagini!" Harry said again, this time making her move closer.

"Wormtail!" The bundle called out, it sounded almost as inhuman as the hiss that had left Harry's lips. "Let me look at him!"

"We are almost finished my lord." The man, Wormtail, said with a fearful tone. "Soon you can look at him yourself. If you wait it will be ruined."

The thing in the bundle said nothing more, it seemed it accepted this excuse and the man let out a audible breath in relief.

"Be quiet." The thing ordered when Harry tried to gain Nagini's attention again. Also he speaking in parseltongue. The sheer surprise made Harry silent as the, what seemed to be a, ritual carried on. Soon the bundle was picked up and dropped into the cauldron. There was another hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Harry heard it's frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud.

Wormtail begun to speak. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"

The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. Horrified, Harry watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. This time it was spoken words rather than written that caused Harry's eyes to widen. Father, that thing was Tom's son? His Tom had a child? A child that was using his own father's bones in a dark ritual? He didn't listen or see anything else, then Wormtail was suddenly standing in front of him with a raised knife. Harry refused to look away, he would face his death head on. But the stab never came, instead the tip of the knife merely penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his robes. He staggered back to the cauldron with Harry's blood. He poured it inside. The liquid within turned, instantly, a blinding white. Wormtail, his job done.

Then, through the mist in front of him, Harry saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.

"Robe me," said the high, cold voice from the couldron, and Wormtail scrambled to pick up a black robes from the ground, got to his feet, reached up, and pulled them one handed over his master's head.

The thin man stepped out of the cauldron, staring at Harry…and Harry stared back into the face. It was whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snakes with slits for nostrils…

"Who are you?" Harry asked, his voice no more than a whisper. It had barely left his lips before a crack was heard and Tom along with Moody appeared on the scene. The snake like man seemed as surprised as Harry.

"Crouch, you brought a guest." It said, admiring Tom who looked back at it with a hint of disgust in his expression. The thing only smiled a lipless smile. "I don't suppose I look like you have imagined?" He asked, while examining it's new body. His hands were like large, pale spiders; his long white fingers caressed his own chest, his arms, his face; the red eyes, whose pupils were slits, like a cats, gleamed still more brightly through the darkness.

"Not really, no." Tom agreed, his eyes never even glancing at Harry.

"I should have known you would figure it all out." It sounded pleased. "Here to welcome me back?"

"I was curious." Tom said, his eyes glued on the snake-like-man. Neither taking any notice to Harry as Nagini started to circle Harry, hissing.

"Curiousness is good, it drives you to learn new things. I will show you something marvelous." The thing said, gesturing for Moody to come forward. He did, his left arm offered to the thing.

Harry saw something upon the skin there, something like a vivid red tattoo - a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth- the Dark Mark. The thing, that Harry now guessed was the Dark Lord, examined it carefully.

"It is back," he said softly, "they will all have noticed it…and now, we shall see…now we shall know…" He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Moody's, no Crouch's, arm.

The scar on Harry s forehead seared with a sharp pain again, and Crouch let out a howl of pain; Voldemort removed his fingers from Crouch's mark, and Harry saw that it had turned jet black.

With a look of cruel satisfaction on his face, Voldemort straightened up, threw back his head, and stared around at the dark graveyard.

"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" he whispered, his gleaming red eyes fixed upon the stars. Tom, Harry, everyone around him, seemingly forgotten. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"

Tbc… Well if people are going to start giving me some feedback at least. Thanks to the ones who did on my last chapter, it means alot! Only 0,5 procent of you readers gave me some on chapter 13. Thats the least reviews I have ever gottem. Have I become that terrible?


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

_**Chapter Fifteen.**_

Voldemort began to pace up and down before his audience, eyes sweeping the graveyard all the while. After a minute or so, he looked down at Harry, a cruel smile twisting his snakelike face.

"You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father," he hissed softly. "A Muggle and a fool…very like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child…and I killed my father, and see how useful he has proved himself, in death…"

Voldemort laughed again. Up and down he paced, looking all around him as he walked, and the snake continued to circle in the grass. With Harry now giving him undivided attention even missing Tom's worried eyes on him. Crouch however didn't miss it and took to keep a close eye on the younger version of the Dark Lord.

"You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a witch who lived here in this village, fell in love with him. But he abandoned her when she told him what she was…He didn't like magic, my father… He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage…but I vowed to find him…I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name…Tom Riddle…" Harry's eyes immediately went to Tom who was now look anywhere but on Harry. Voldemort however saw it and laughed. "Yes, Potter. That is a younger version of me, we are one and the same. I made him."

"You're Tom." Harry whispered, his eyes studying him, trying to find a hint of the Tom he had grown up with in the man. "My Tom..." He whispered.

"Your Tom?" He laughed and Harry was reminded of memory-Tom's reaction to those exact words almost exactly a year before. It was just as cold and shrilling as his had been, if not more so. "There is only one person who has ever been able to lay such claim on me and he had been dead for decades."

Harry didn't know what to say as he looked at the thing his brother had become, his Tom. This Tom had tried to kill him, an innocent baby. No, no. Tom didn't exist anymore.

Voldemort's red eyes suddenly darted from Harry and the grave towards an open space a few feet away, where he had stood when touch Crouch's mark.

"Listen to me, reliving family history…" he said quietly, "why, I am growing quite sentimental…But look, Harry! My true family returns…"

The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward…slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes Voldemort stood in silence, waiting for them. Then one of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Voldemort and kissed the hem of his black robes.

"Master…Master" he murmured.

The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort on his knees and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle, which enclosed Tom Riddle s grave, Harry, Voldemort, and Tom. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. He looked around at the hooded faces, and though there was no wind rustling seemed to run around the circle, as though it had shivered.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years…thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! " His eyes turned to Tom but looked away quickly as if he had expected to see a certain kind of expression but had been disappointed. Instead he continued. "Or are we? Perhaps you believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort…perhaps they now pay allegiance to another…perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.

"It is a disappointment to me…I confess myself disappointed…"

One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.

"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand. "_Crucio!_"

The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked; Harry was sure the sound must carry to the houses around… and Harry briefly wondered if his and Tom's had the same power. Had they given the rats the same kind of pain?

Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years…I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you." He then walked towards another. "Lucius, my slippery friend," he whispered, halting before him. "I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius…but I have seen proof of some of your other exploits, one of which is standing here with me…but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master rather then bringing a new, younger, one?"

"My Lord, I was constantly on the alert," came Lucius Malfoy's voice swiftly from beneath the hood. "Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have prevented me -"

"Oh, there were more than whispers." said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly. "Yes, I know all about that, Lucius…You have disappointed me…I expect more faithful service in the future."

"Of course, my Lord, of course…You are merciful, thank you…" And so he continued among his followers before his eyes landed on Harry once again who had been watching him with horrified fascination.

"Now, I'll tell you a story and it begins-and ends- with my young friend here." He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of the whole circle were upon the two of them.

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes upon Harry, whose scar began to burn so fiercely that he almost screamed in agony while Harry's mind was yelling at him that this couldn't possibly be his Tom. "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him – and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen…I could not touch the boy."

Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek.

"His mother left upon him the traces other sacrifice…This is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it…but no matter. I can touch him now."

Harry felt the cold tip of the long white finger touch him, and thought his head would burst with the pain. Voldemort laughed softly in his ear, then took the finger away and continued addressing the Death Eaters.

"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah…pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost…but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know…I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked…for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself…for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand… And then, not even a year ago, when I had almost abandoned hope, it happened at last…a servant returned to me. He sought me in the country where it had long been rumoured I was hiding…helped, of course, by the rats he met along the way. Wormtail has a curious affinity with rats, do you not, Wormtail? And now, here I stand before you. I hope you now see how foolish it was to suppose that this boy could ever have been stronger than me, look at him. A mere child." said Voldemort. "But I want there to be no mistake in anybody's mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no mother to die for him. I will give him his chance. He will be allowed to fight, and you will be left in no doubt which of us is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered, and the snake glided away through the grass to where the Death Eaters stood watching.

"Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand."

Tbc… THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! Because of those and because I didn't like one missunderstanding some of you had done I felt the need to post this update a bit quicker than I had planned. So now, as you can see. VOLDEMORT DOESN'T KNOW WHO HARRY IS! Now, please give me some feedback : D


	16. Important

Author's Note:

I'm really sorry about this, but I won't be able to update for a while. You see, I had a party last weekend and someone spilt wine on my computer and it's completely destroyed. So I needed a new computer and so I bought this one but everything I had written so far on this fic is gone. I'm really sorry. Hopefully you will still read when I update next. Until then….


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Harry watched emotionlessly as Wormtail loosened the ropes around him, and staring straight at Voldemort Harry took the offered wand. Harry didn't even spare Tom as much as a glance, his eyes were solemnly on the older version of his friend.

Voldemort watched him with amused eyes as he stood facing his young opponent. Harry met his eyes with a determined glint in his own. Voldemort laughed.

"Good, good. Just like your father, he too was foolish enough to face me, but he would be proud." He informed him. "I assume Dumbledore has taught you how to duel?" He didn't wait for an answer. "First we bow to each other." After these words had left his lipless mouth Voldemort gave a theatrical bow, making some of his followers chuckle in the audience.

With equal theatrics Harry returned the gesture, adding a challenging smile. A smile, that brought forth an unwelcome flashback of his childhood in the Dark Lord's mind. Pushing it away Voldemort continued the show.

"And now- we duel." Voldemort raised his wand, thankfully one thing hadn't changed since they were both children, Harry's reflexes were always better and, though it was just barely, he managed to dodge the cruciatus curse that came flying at him. He returned it with one Tom had taught him down in the chamber; supposedly it was one of Voldemort's own favourite curses. As he sidestepped it Voldermort looked vaguely surprised before he chuckled a little, mostly for the benefit of their little audience.

"It seems the saviour of the light isn't as light as I thought. Who taught you that? I doubt Dumbledore has extended the Dark Arts section since my time at the school." Harry didn't get the chance to answer before another curse was thrown at him. After having dodged it Harry answered the previous question with one simple word.

"Tom."

"Such honour, a young version of the Dark Lord as a teacher. Many would kill for the honour. What else has he taught you?" He said, chuckling to himself and Harry knew he had to be talking for the sake of the Death Eaters watching them. And unintentionally Harry's eyes briefly landed on Tom, where they remained a little too long. And the familiar feeling of the imperiatus curse came over him. It was stronger than Tom's. It was as if his mind was completely wiped of all thought… it was a bliss, not to think, it was as though he was floating, dreaming… show me…just show me… show me. It was the voice of Voldemort that was giving the orders, it sounded like Tom. Not his Tom, or even memory-Tom but an adult Tom. The familiarity almost made him want to listen to the voice but soon another voice drowned out the voice and the memory of an eight-year-old-Tom appeared in his mind. Harry had wanted to know why Tom hadn't stopped the adults from beating him with his powers. He had smirked and proudly stated. 'Tactics.' Then Tom had gone on to explain what he meant. 'If they don't actually know what we can do we will always have an advantage over them. Never show all your cards until it's a life and death situation.' As the memory faded and the order once again started to repeat itself Harry suddenly found himself yelling "NO!" on the top of his lungs and immediately the voice stopped.

"No?" Said Voldemort quietly and the Death Eaters were no longer laughing at their lord's actions. "You won't show me? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die… perhaps pain would be a better motivation… Crucio!"

Again Harry was faster, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Tom's father, and heard it crack as the spell missed him.

"We are not playing hide and seek, Harry." Said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, drawing nearer. The Death Eaters laughed. "You can 't hide from me. Does this mean you have tired of our duel? Does this mean you'd prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out Harry… come out and play…"

As Voldemort continued Harry felt like he for the first time could understand what Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop must had felt like that afternoon in the sea cave all those years ago. Even at the time Harry had thought Tom had gone too far and stopped him, but at the same time he thought they had deserved it. Tom had saved them from a poisonous snake and instead of thanking him they had accused him of setting it after them, of being a demon. Now Harry wasn't so sure, even of he had known Tom wouldn't, intentionally, hurt them too seriously they hadn't and must have felt something similar to what he was feeling now. Minus the betrayal he felt, a betrayal he knew he shouldn't be feeling. This Voldemort didn't even know who he was. But would it even matter if he told him? Voldemort wasn' t his Tom. Still, it hurt to think that he was trying to kill him. That he viewed him as the enemy. Maybe… had Tom told him? That thought brought forth another question, why was Tom even there?

Knowing he couldn't hide forever Harry stepped out from behind the grave but before he even had time to meet Voldemort's eyes Harry heard the unmistakable voice of Tom. "NO!!" He was actually running towards him. Tom never ran. The next thing Harry knew a green light was coming towards him, then a violent shove pushed him out of the way and onto the ground. Voldemort watched in a state of shock before laughing in disbelief.

"You actually care for the boy." He said, looking at Tom, who was positioned on his stomach, no more than a foot from Harry. He didn't move. Harry didn't know why but Voldemort didn't shift a single muscle when Harry moved towards the motionless teen.

"Tom?" Harry said softy at first. He didn't react. After checking his pulse Harry tried to wake him with magic. Still nothing. He wasn't sure how long he had tried to bring a reaction from Tom when Voldemort's soft, yet cold, voice came drifting towards him.

"What makes you special enough for me to risk my very life for you?"

"You would have done it too once." Harry said, briefly shifting his eyes from Tom and up at his older self before looking back down at Tom's still face

Tbc…

Now, what do you think? Don't forget to review if you want me to post the next chapter!


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Voldemort said nothing at first, simply watched the mirror image of his younger self in the arms of the boy who had brought his downfall little more than 13 years earlier. And once again the boy brought forth unwanted flashbacks. This time he remembered the summer before his brother had disappeared. Again Mrs Cole had ordered a beating of him, with the aim to 'beat the devil out of him'. Harry hadn't left his side when he returned to the room that night. His expression had been almost identical to the one that the Potter boy wore as he looked at Tom. If he hadn't known better he would have sworn it was his Harry sitting beside his first Horcrox. Silently his tore his eyes away from the scene; it was not something he wanted to watch. His Harry was gone. His horcrux was still 'alive' if it was the correct word to use, either way, it hadn't been destroyed.

"Take him back." Voldemort stated distantly, his back turned to the boy. Harry didn't move, and the Death Eaters watched with confusion. As if reading their mind and Harry's hesitation he yelled, "NOW. Potter!"

"But." He stopped himself. "Why?"

The Dark lord said nothing, instead he wandlessly sent the triwizard cup towards the teen. Harry didn't grab it at first, only stared at the older wizard's back before smiling slightly and spoke quietly to himself more than to Voldemort as he thought back on what had just happened. "I knew you would never hurt me, so it's fine." With those words said Harry grabbed the portkey and Voldemort spun around to look at his with shocked eyes. Those had been the exact words his Harry had said after he almost strangled him during a disagreement they had before he had won control over his wild magic two years before they entered Hogwarts. But it was too late, Harry wasn't there anymore.

Harry felt himself slam flat into the ground; his face was pressed into grass; the smell of it filled his nostrils. He had closed his eyes while the Portkey transported him, and he kept them closed now. He truly hated Portkeys, using it once was fine but more than that... All the breath seemed to have been knocked out of him; his head was swimming so badly he felt as though the ground beneath him were swaying like the deck of a ship. To hold himself steady, he tightened his hold on the two things he was still clutching: the smooth, cold handle of the Triwizard Cup and Tom. Tom needed help. Now with something to focus more clearly on he forced his eyes open.

A torrent of sound deafened and confused him; there were voices everywhere, footsteps, screams… He remained where he was, his face screwed up against the noise, as though it were a nightmare that would pass…

Then a pair of hands seized him roughly and turned him over.

"Harry! Harry!"

He was looking up at the starry sky, and Albus Dumbledore was crouched over him. The dark shadows of a crowd of people pressed in around them, pushing nearer; Harry felt the ground beneath his head reverberating with their footsteps. He had come back to the edge of the maze. He could see the stands rising above him, the shapes of people moving in them, the stars above.

Harry let go of the cup, but he clutched Tom to him even more tightly. He raised his free hand and seized Dumbledore's wrist, while Dumbledore's face swam in and out of focus.

"Help him." Harry pleaded, "Please help him. I can't wake him up."

Dumbledore bent down, and with extraordinary strength for a man so old and thin raised Harry from the ground and set him on his feet, than bent down next to Tom. After a few seconds he looked up at the teenage boy watching him with genuine fear and worry written all over his face.

"We will take him to hospital wing, then you can tell me what happened." Harry nodded, immediately following after Dumbledore, completely oblivious of the excitement around him. When they reached it Madame Pomfry took care of Tom immediately and after Harry had been shushed away from Tom's side Dumbledore made sure to gain Harry's attention. "I need to know what happened after you touched the Portkey in the maze Harry."

He took a deep breath and began to tell his tale. As he spoke, visions of everything that had passed that night seemed to rise before his eyes; he saw the sparkling surface of the potion that had revived Voldemort, Tom; he saw the Death Eaters apparating between the graves around them; he saw Tom pushing him away from the killing curse. But he didn't mention Voldemort, he wasn't ready to face up to what Tom had become. Instead he blamed it all on Dark Wizards who wanted to avenge Voldemort and claimed he didn't know why Tom was there. He spun a tale as close to the truth he could without directly involving Tom or Voldemort. Dumbledore seemed to believe him. Then feeling the need to tell the old wizard something closer to the truth he added. "They said if I was dead their lord would reward them when he returns."

"The ones that attacked you are called Death Eaters, followers of Lord Voldemort."

"Do you think Tom was hit by the killing curse they sent after me, professor?" Harry asked, not particularly wanting to hear about Voldemort at that moment.

"Then he would have died."

"I survived, didn't I?" Harry said angrily, and when Dumbledore didn't add anything to his previous statement Harry walked away, once again trying to get to Tom's side. Madame Pomfry tried to stop him at first but soon conceded and continued working on Tom. But it was with little success; even as the hours passed she couldn't get the unconscious teen to react to any potion or charm she tried. Tom remained completely unmoving on the bed, unaware of his surroundings.

Tbc…

So what do you think? I must say I was surprised over how many who thought Tom was dead. I never actually said he was, nor that he was hit by the killing curse. Anyway, of you go. Review if you want another chapter posted.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Sometime during the afternoon Harry had fallen asleep by the bed, his hand tightly gripping Tom's even in his sleep. He couldn't say exactly when he had fallen asleep but he didn't even as much as stir until midnight when the now familiar voices of McGonagall, Dumbledore and Pomfry interrupted his rest. It seemed they had decided to return to the hospital wing once more before they went to bed after all.

"He won't wake up regardless to what I do, Albus." Pomfry spoke quietly, as if afraid to wake Harry up. "We should move him to S:t Mungo's in the morning, perhaps they will be able to help him there." No one spoke, only looked at the two boys.

"Perhaps this is for the best." McGonagall finally said, hesitantly. "Riddle is no good influence on Potter, look at what became of him."

"He is just a boy, Minerva. And I find nothing wrong with him." Pomfry scolded disapprovingly at the same time as Dumbledore thoughtfully, but hesitantly agreed. "Perhaps."

"Albus!" Pomfry nearly shouted in surprise before lowering her voice. "You can't possibly intend to leave him here. I'm a low level healer, S:t Mungo's-"

"We can not send him there, Poppy. Young Mr Riddle isn't completely… human."

"I haven't found any trace of magical creatures in him."

"I suspect that you wouldn't." He agreed sadly. "Never the less, we will have to do what we can for him here. If Mr Potter learns the truth about Tom we will be far better of with young Riddle than Lord Voldemort by his side."

"Voldemort?" Pomfry repeated confused. "What does he have to do with the boy? If he was hit by a killing curse and survived he should be examined, like you never allowed young Mr Potter to be."

"Magic is not the only thing to induce comas. A simple fall is a far more likely explanation, Poppy." Dumbledore said calmly. "And there are many more possibilities in Mr Riddle's case. I will explain it all to you in the morning. But it is drawing late, we should all go to bed."

"What about Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"The bond between Harry and Tom is one that neither of us will ever be able to understand. Perhaps Mr Potter's presence will do some good."

As Harry woke the next morning Tom still laid in the exact same position as he had when Harry had fallen asleep. Only his warm hands and the steady rise and fall of his chest told Harry that Tom was still alive.

"Doesn't seem like my presence did you any good, does it?" Harry said quietly before wrinkling his nose when he for the first time smelt the stench of his own cloths. The mud and dirt from the day before was still all over him. Tom on the other hand was completely clean thanks to Madam Pomfry's charm work. "Sorry 'bout that. When I get back I promise I'll stink less." And with those words Harry left the hospital wing and snuck down to the dungeons to clean up. He was back within minutes and remained a constant figure by Tom's side for an entire week. After that he decided to read up on Tom's condition and as well as his own memory flashes. They had helped him on many occasions of the last few months and if he could control them perhaps they would be able to help him help Tom somehow, as they had done him during the second task. Like Dumbledore had said, this Tom wasn't really human.

Harry found only a surprisingly small collection of medical books in the Hogwarts library, none with any helpful information regarding Tom's case, but than again Harry supposed that perhaps it would be more useful to study dark arts to heal a horcrox than medical books. But than again, Voldemort had most likely allowed him to take Tom with him for a reason. He did however find a great deal of interest regarding his flashes, or rather regarding memories. One that particularly interested him was a case in the mid-nineteen-century when a child had started drinking form her uncle's pensive, gaining the memory her uncle had placed in it. It had later driven the child mad to carry someone else's memories in her head, leaving her unable to identify her own. It was the closest thing he found to explain his own experiences, even though he admitted some clear differences and many of his new find quantities remained unexplained. All things he now felt guilty over not having told Tom about, but that hadn't really been his fault. Tom hadn't given him much chance to talk about much else than the training he was drilling into Harry for his encounter with Voldemort.

The weeks passed and there was no change in Tom, and as the end of the term arrived Harry had to bid his goodbye not only to Hogwarts, but to Tom as well. Only to be greeted by Pandora's familiar face at platform 9 ¾ in King's Cross station, London, as well as the intrigued expression of Lucius Mafoy. But the man wasn't quite able to hide the confusion he also felt regarding the young boy-hero as he saw him step of the train along with his son and heir.

It seemed like the events in the graveyard had only made Harry Potter even more famous among the pureblood-elite than before, for Malfoy's eyes were far from the only par that followed Harry as he walked up to his appointed guardian. A woman, who also she, was watching him with an unusual amount of interest in her eyes. While she usually found him interesting, this time it was different. He couldn't pinpoint why or how. It simply was, everything seemed to have changed in just a matter of weeks. Every single Death Eater he had seen during the rebirth was there, and he, rather than their sons, daughters, nephews and nieces, seemed to be the object of their interest, it was as if they all were waiting for him. But why he couldn't say.

THE END (The third part of the series will be posted later. If the interest is still there. I'm seriously beginning to doubt it… well… We'll see later.)

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I just watched "Hannibal the rising", if you haven't seen it you have to. Young Hannibal Lecter is exactly as I imagine Tom Riddle in his late teens and twenties. I want that actor, Gaspard Ulliel, to play Tom! You have to see it! He would be brilliant!


	20. Sequel is up

Pulled through time III is up! Go read!


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